Wolfpack back streamlines body

RALEIGH — Reggie Gallaspy realized he didn’t need to bulk up in order to be more effective for North Carolina State’s football team.

He needed to be sleeker, and so he went about that process in the offseason.

“I had a beer gut, or whatever you want to call it,” the junior running back said.

He has trimmed 11 pounds off his frame, showing up at the start of training camp at 223 pounds. “A lot of dedication and hard work out there. Make sure my body is at a high performance.”

His conditioning became of utmost importance, he said, as he vies for the role as a starting running back. It’s one of the positions that appears up for grabs on the Wolfpack’s offense and he said he wants to give himself the best chance to land on the first team.

“Make my body a Mustang or Corvette,” he said, “and not a Tonka Truck.”

Gallaspy, a junior out of Southern Guilford, played in 24 games his first two seasons, scoring six touchdowns. He was the Wolfpack’s second-leading rusher last year with 234 yards.

The extra weight, while something that might have allowed him to crush opposing players in high school, became a detriment.

“It could be a cause of a lot of injuries in the past,” he said.

Gallaspy said he wasn’t forced into making the workout and dieting changes. His motivation to trim up came from within.

“I figured it out on my own,” he said. “I looked and watched it on film.”

Others have noticed, including quarterback Ryan Finley, who equated it to weight-reduction methods used in another sport.

“I saw him with some hoodies out for runs,” Finley said. “He was kind of doing that wrestler thing.”

Gallaspy has been on the field for more than 25 plays in a game only twice in his career. He said being fully healthy should help.

“To be out there and be 100 percent and let everything fall into place,” he said.

In Gallaspy’s mind, he said the offense seems ahead of schedule compared to last year. That could come in part because of Finley as an incumbent quarterback.

With versatile Jaylen Samuels and speedster Nyheim Hines, the Wolfpack has options on what offensive schemes it uses. Gallaspy wants to be a key part of the mix.

“I don’t pay attention to all (the speculation),” he said regarding who’ll replace Matt Dayes’ production. “It’s a goal (to be a starter).”